VCOG Board of Directors minutes 042617

Virginia Coalition for Open Government
Board of Directors Meeting
Virginia Press Association
April 26, 2017

Minutes

I. Call to Order – Hammerstrom called the meeting to order at 1:06 PM and verified that a quorum was present.  Board Members in attendance included Dorothy Abernathy, Paul Casalaspi, Brian Colligan, Brian Eckert, Lou Emerson, Paul Fletcher (via phone), Bob Gibson, Dick Hammerstrom, Olga Hernandez, Lawrence McConnell, Patricia O’Bannon, Jeff South, Jonathan Williams, and Executive Director Megan Rhyne.

II. Announcements – Hammerstrom and Rhyne gave an update on upcoming Board Member retirements and departures.

III. Approval of Minutes – The Minutes from the December 7, 2016 Board Meeting were approved unanimously.

IV. Executive Director’s Report – Rhyne provided an update on the 2017 General Assembly Session, VCOG Interns, Sunshine Week, the new VCOG blog, the VCOG Annual Conference, Transparency Virginia, and general public engagement.

V. Finance Report – Eckert and Casalaspi provided a report on the VCOG Budget and Endowment.

VI. New Business

A. ACLU Proposal – Rhyne and Hammerstrom shared the ACLU’s request to include VCOG in an initiative opposing the secrecy of the execution process in Virginia.  The Board agreed to table consideration until a draft resolution can be prepared and reviewed.

B. Maria Everett – The Board agreed that VCOG should honor Maria at the Annual Conference in November.

VII. Old Business – Hammerstrom gave an update on the Daily Press v. OES case before the Virginia Supreme Court.

VIII. Adjournment – Hammerstrom adjourned the meeting at 3:07 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jonathan R. Williams